Wednesday, January 7, 2009

A sandstorm in Jordan

On Christmas Eve, 24 Dec 2008, which was Day Three of our Jordan/ Israel trip, while en route to Mount Nebo our bus met with a huge sand storm.

The sand storm was so bad that at certain times, the bus driver could not get a clear view of the road just a meter ahead of him. The police stepped in to control the traffic and our bus had to stop for about 45 minutes on the highway, along with many other vehicles ahead of us and behind us. We could feel the bus shaking from side to side because of the strong winds.

We also saw the wreckage of a vehicle by the road side, apparently the result of a serious accident caused by the sand storm.

After the people were done with taking photos and recording videos of the sand storm around us, sing some songs and playing a couple of games in the bus, a sister came forward and suggested that we should take spiritual authority over the situation and pray about it.

So, we prayed.

And God be our witness, within seconds after we prayed, the sand storm started to clear. And it cleared totally within a few minutes, afterwhich it was a smooth journey all the way to Mount Nebo.

Could it be a mere coincidence that the sand storm just happned to clear after we prayed?

I am convinced that it was God demonstrating to us once again that He is One who hears and answers our prayers.

Later in the day, we crossed over the Jordan River and set foot on the land of Israel and celebrated Christmas Eve in Tiberias.

In the morning of Christmas Day, while taking in the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee in a fishing boat, I thought about the gospel accounts in which Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea, and calmed the storm, and I couldn't help but gave thanks to Him for calming the sand storm for us just the day before.

We may be experiencing all kinds of storm and turmoil around us or within us. Others may not see or know or care about what we are going through, but Jesus sees and knows and cares.

In the midst of it all, we can take heart and have good courage because Jesus is the One who rebukes the wind and the sea and says, "Peace, be still!" (Mark 4:39), and Jesus is the One who says to us, "Be of good cheer! It is I: do not be afraid" (Matt 14:27).